- Description
- Codes
- Comparability
- Universe
- Availability
- Questionnaire Text
- Flags
- Source Variables
- Editing Procedure
Description
OWNERSHP indicates whether the housing unit was rented or owned by its inhabitants. Housing units acquired with a mortgage or other lending arrangement(s) are classified as "owned," even if repayment was not yet completed.
Codes and Frequencies
An 'X' indicates the category is available for that sample
Code | Label |
2023
acs
|
2022
acs
|
2021
acs
|
2016
acs
|
2011
acs
|
2006
acs
|
2000
1pct
|
1990
1pct
|
1980
1pct
|
1970
met2
|
1970
met1
|
1960
1pct
|
1940
1pct
|
1930
1pct
|
1920
1pct
|
1910
1pct
|
1900
1pct
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | N/A | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
1 | Owned or being bought (loan) | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
2 | Rented | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Can't find the category you are looking for? Try the Detailed codes
Comparability
This variable is essentially comparable across years and samples, though some years offer more detail than others.
In 1910 (U.S. census), some enumerators simply entered a check mark in response to the census question, "Home owned or rented?" These responses are coded separately, since it is not clear what the check mark signifies. The makers of the original 1910 PUMS sample (which has a SAMP1910 value of "5" in the 1910 Weighted sample) interpreted a check mark as "owns."
For the 1960-2010 censuses, the ACS and the PRCS, responses distinguish between renters who pay cash rent and those who do not. Beginning in 1990, responses also distinguish between homes "owned free and clear" and those "owned with a mortgage or loan." The more precise wording was intended to clarify the concept of ownership, after a post-1980 study by the Census Bureau revealed that some respondents with a mortgage hadn't reported themselves as owners. The MORTGAGE variable also indicates whether owner-occupied housing units are owned free and clear or are encumbered by a mortgage or loan.
The forms for the 1970-1990 censuses specified that units should be considered owned even if they are resting on leased land (for example, mobile trailers in some parks). The 2000 and 2010 census, the ACS and the PRCS asked about ownership of mobile homes as well as houses and apartments.
Universe
- 1900: Not sampled as a large unit; not available in Alaska.
- 1910: Not sampled as a large unit; not available in Alaska for 100% file.
- 1910 Puerto Rico: Not group quarters.
- 1920: Not sampled as a large unit.
- 1920 Puerto Rico: Not group quarters.
- 1930: Not sampled as a large unit.
- 1930 Puerto Rico:
- 1940-1960: Not group quarters.
- 1970-2010: Not group quarters, not vacant units.
- ACS, PRCS: Not group quarters, not vacant units.
Availability
- 2023: All samples
- 2022: All samples
- 2021: All samples
- 2020: All samples
- 2019: All samples
- 2018: All samples
- 2017: All samples
- 2016: All samples
- 2015: All samples
- 2014: All samples
- 2013: All samples
- 2012: All samples
- 2011: All samples
- 2010: All samples
- 2009: All samples
- 2008: All samples
- 2007: All samples
- 2006: All samples
- 2005: All samples
- 2004: All samples
- 2003: All samples
- 2002: All samples
- 2001: All samples
- 2000: All samples
- 1990: All samples
- 1980: All samples
- 1970: All samples
- 1960: All samples
- 1950: --
- 1940: All samples
- 1930: All samples
- 1920: All samples
- 1910: All samples
- 1900: All samples
- 1880: --
- 1870: --
- 1860: --
- 1850: --
- 2023: All samples
- 2022: All samples
- 2021: All samples
- 2020: All samples
- 2019: All samples
- 2018: All samples
- 2017: All samples
- 2016: All samples
- 2015: All samples
- 2014: All samples
- 2013: All samples
- 2012: All samples
- 2011: All samples
- 2010: All samples
- 2009: All samples
- 2008: All samples
- 2007: All samples
- 2006: All samples
- 2005: All samples
- 2000: All samples
- 1990: All samples
- 1980: All samples
- 1970: All samples
- 1930: All samples
- 1920: All samples
- 1910: All samples
Questionnaire Text
2023 ACS | 2006 ACS | 1970 Form 1 Metro | 1910 1% |
2022 ACS | 2000 1% | 1960 1% | 1900 1% |
2021 ACS | 1990 1% | 1940 1% | |
2016 ACS | 1980 1% | 1930 1% | |
2011 ACS | 1970 Form 2 Metro | 1920 1% |
[ ] Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
[ ] Rented?
[ ] Occupied without payment of rent? -> Skip to C
[ ] Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
[ ] Rented?
[ ] Occupied without payment of rent? -> Skip to C
[ ] Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
[ ] Rented?
[ ] Occupied without payment of rent? -> Skip to C
[ ] Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
[ ] Rented?
[ ] Occupied without payment of rent? -> Skip to C
If the house, apartment, or mobile home is mortgaged or there is a contract to purchase, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan? Include home equity loans. " box. If there is no mortgage or other debt, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?" box. If the house, apartment, or mobile home is owned but the land is rented, mark one of the "owned" categories. If the mobile home is owned without an installment loan, but there is a mortgage on the land, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan? Include home equity loans." box.
If any money rent is paid, even if the rent is paid by people who are not members of your household, or paid by a federal, state, or local government agency, mark the "Rented?" box.
If the unit is not owned or being bought by a member of this household and if money rent is not paid or contracted, mark the "Occupied without payment of rent?" box. The unit may be owned by friends or relatives who live elsewhere and who allow you to occupy this house, apartment, or mobile home without charge. A house or apartment may be provided as part of wages or salary. Examples are: caretaker's or janitor's house or apartment; parsonages; tenant farmer or sharecropper houses for which the occupants do not pay cash rent; or military housing.
[ ] Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
[ ] Rented?
[ ] Occupied without payment of rent? -> Skip to C
If the house, apartment, or mobile home is mortgaged or there is a contract to purchase, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan? Include home equity loans. " box. If there is no mortgage or other debt, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?" box. If the house, apartment, or mobile home is owned but the land is rented, mark one of the "owned" categories. If the mobile home is owned without an installment loan, but there is a mortgage on the land, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan? Include home equity loans." box.
If any money rent is paid, even if the rent is paid by people who are not members of your household, or paid by a federal, state, or local government agency, mark the "Rented?" box.
If the unit is not owned or being bought by a member of this household and if money rent is not paid or contracted, mark the "Occupied without payment of rent?" box. The unit may be owned by friends or relatives who live elsewhere and who allow you to occupy this house, apartment, or mobile home without charge. A house or apartment may be provided as part of wages or salary. Examples are: caretaker's or janitor's house or apartment; parsonages; tenant farmer or sharecropper houses for which the occupants do not pay cash rent; or military housing.
[ ] Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan?
[ ] Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
[ ] Rented for cash rent?
[ ] Occupied without payment of cash rent? -> Skip to C
If the house, apartment, or mobile home is mortgaged or there is a contract to purchase, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan?" box. If there is no mortgage or other debt, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?" box. If the house, apartment, or mobile home is owned but the land is rented, mark one of the "owned" categories. If the mobile home is owned without an installment loan, but there is a mortgage on the land, mark the "Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan?" box.
If any money rent is paid, even if the rent is paid by people who are not members of your household, or paid by a Federal, state, or local government agency, mark the "Rented for cash rent?" box.
If the unit is not owned or being bought by the occupants and if money rent is not paid or contracted, mark the "Occupied without payment of cash rent?" box. The unit may be owned by friends or relatives who live elsewhere and who allow you to occupy this house, apartment, or mobile home without charge. A house or apartment may be provided as part of wages or salary. Examples are: caretaker's or janitor's house or apartment; parsonages; tenant farmer or sharecropper houses for which the occupants do not pay cash rent; or military housing.
[] Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
[] Rented for cash rent?
[] Occupied without payment of cash rent?
[] Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage)?
[] Rented for cash rent?
[] Occupied without payment of cash rent?
"Housing is owned if the owner or co-owner lives in it. Mark Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan if the house, apartment, or mobile home is mortgaged or there is a contract to purchase. Mark Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage) if there is no mortgage or other debt. If the house, apartment, or mobile home is owned but the land is rented, mark this question to show the status of the house, apartment, or mobile home. Mark Rented for cash rent if any money rent is paid, even if the rent is paid by persons who are not members of your household, or by a federal, state, or local government agency. Mark Occupied without payment of cash rent if the unit is not owned or being bought by the occupants and if money rent is not paid or contracted. The unit may be owned by friends or relatives who live elsewhere and who allow occupancy without charge. A house or apartment may be provided as part of wages or salary. Examples are: caretaker's or janitor's house or apartment; parsonages; tenant farmer or sharecropper houses for which the occupants do not pay cash rent; or military housing."
H8. Are your living quarters -
[] Rented for cash rent?
[] Occupied without payment of cash rent?
"Mark Owned or being bought if the living quarters are owned outright or are mortgaged. Also mark Owned or being bought if the living quarters are owned but the land is rented. Mark Rented for cash rent if any money rent is paid. Rent may be paid by persons who are not members of your household. Occupied without payment of cash rent includes, for example, a parsonage, military housing, a house or apartment provided free of rent by the owner, or a house or apartment occupied by a janitor or caretaker in exchange for services."
H9. Are your living quarters -
[] A cooperative or condominium which is owned or being bought by you or by someone else in your household?
[] Rented for cash rent?
[] Occupied without payment of cash rent?
H9. Are your living quarters -
[] A cooperative or condominium which is owned or being bought by you or by someone else in your household?
[] Rented for cash rent?
[] Occupied without payment of cash rent?
H12. Is the house, part of the house, or apartment in which you live: (Check one)
[] Rented for cash?
[] Occupied without payment of cash rent?
[PH-4]
H12. Is the house, part of the house, or apartment in which you live: (Check one)
429. If the home or dwelling unit is not owned, either wholly or in part, as indicated above, write "R" (for rented) on the line for the head of the household, even though no rent is actually paid.
430. A home which is owned by a person whose position in the household is that of a lodger should be returned as rented.
136. Column 7. Home owned or rented.-This question is to be answered only opposite the name of the head of each family, and only relates to the home or dwelling in which they are living on the date of the enumeration. If the home is owned, write "O"; if the home is rented, write "R." Make no entries in this column for the other members of the family.
137. If a dwelling is occupied by more than one family it is the home of each of them, and the question should be answered with reference to each family in the dwelling. The whole dwelling may be owned by one family and a part rented by the other family, or both may rent.
138. Owned homes.-A home is to be classed as owned if it is owned wholly or in part by the head of the family living in the home or by the wife of the head, or by a son, or a daughter, or other relative living in the same house with the head of the family. It is not necessary that full payment for the property should have been made or that the family should be the sole owner.
139. Rented homes.-Every home not owned, either wholly or in part, by the family living in it should be classed as rented, whether rent is actually paid or not.
187. Owned homes.?A home is to be classed as owned if it is owned wholly or in part by the head of the family living in the home, or by the wife of the head, or by a son, or a daughter, or other relative living in the same house with the head of the family. It is not necessary that full payment for the property should have been made or that the family should be the sole owner.
188. Rented homes.?Every home not owned, either wholly or in part, by the family living in it should be classes as rented, whether rent is actually paid or not.
239. In case of a farm part of which is owned and part rented; or in case different members of the same family operate different farms, of which one is owned and the other rented; or in the case of the cultivation of a farm by a family which does not reside upon the farm, but elsewhere, the dwelling being owned and the farm rented, or, on the contrary, the farm being owned and the dwelling rented, the principle applies that "part ownership is ownership." In all these and similar cases write in column 25 the letter "O."
240. Following the same general rule, if a family occupies a house upon leased land for which "ground rent" is paid, and the building is owned by any member of the family (not a boarder), write "O." Ownership of the building and not the ground, or of the ground and not the building, by the occupant, is part ownership.
241. If, of two families occupying the same house, one has an interest in it, and the other not, the home occupied by the former is to be returned as "owned," but that occupied by the other as "rented."
Flags
QOWNERSHEditing Procedure
OWNERSHP (Ownership of dwelling (tenure))
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that they own their unit with a mortgage (OWNERSHP), but then reports not having either a first or second mortgage (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be changed to "Owned free and clear." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that they own their unit free and clear (OWNERSHP), but then reports having either a first or second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be changed to "Owned with a mortgage." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that the unit is rented for cash or no cash rent (OWNERSHP), but the reported rent is 0 or "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad value" (RENT), there is a positive value on the property value (VALUEH), and they report having a first or second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAGE, MORTAMT1, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned with a mortgage." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH). In a similar case, if a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that the unit is rented for cash or not for cash (OWNERSHP), but the reported rent is 0 or "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad value" (RENT), and they report having a first mortgage with a positive value for the monthly payment (MORTGAGE, MORTAMT1), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned with a mortgage" even when the property value is 0 or "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad value" (VALUEH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that the unit is rented for no cash rent (OWNERSHP), but the reported rent is positive (RENT), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Rented for cash." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit reports that the unit is owner, but is not specific about if they have a mortgage (OWNERSHP), but they do then report having a mortgage, second mortgage or home equity loan, or a positive value on the mortgage payment (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned with a mortgage." If these variables are all 0 or ""Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad value", OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned free and clear." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit has a missing value for OWNERSHP, but does report a positive value for RENT, OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Rented for cash." If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit has a missing value for OWNERSHP, but reports having a first mortgage or second mortgage or home equity loan (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be replaced with "Owned with a mortgage." If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit has a missing value for OWNERSHP and reports not having any form of mortgage (MORTGAGE, MORTGAG2, MORTAMT1, MORTAMT2), OWNERSHP will be replaced with
"Owned free and clear." When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
If a non-vacant (VACANCY) unit has a missing value for OWNERSHP, does not report have a mortgage or second mortgage or home equity loan and hasn't yet been allocated a value, it will be allocated from another unit with the same type of building (UNITSSTR, which shows if a building is a mobile home, detached single family, or attached single family) and in the same geographic unit (it is not specified what level of geography is used). When this happens, the flag will show that the value is allocated (QOWNERSH).
Internal ACS variable : TEN